1. Field Invention the invention
Presently known devices for dispensing newspapers or the like are seen on street corners everywhere in metropolitan areas. In the majority of these machines, a coin is inserted to release a door latch which permits the operator to withdraw one, or more, newspapers from within a hopper. Obviously, the dispensing of the newspaper is highly dependent upon the trustworthiness and social conscious of the purchaser. As a further consequence of these well-known devices, the door invariably includes the coin receptacle and is therefore readily accessible when the door is opened, thus, allowing one with larcenous intent to vandalize the coin receptacle and remove the deposited coins.
Up to this time, there has exsisted a need for a dispensing machine which will ensure that a single folded article is dispensed without such a manufacturing cost and consequent complexity as to prevent its large scale distribution for its intended purpose. Previous devices for stripping a topmost article from a stack have invariably required involved spring return mechanisms and cammed stripper devices to selectively dispense an article in one direction only; any interference with the spring loaded action of the dispenser renders the device inoperable at worst and difficult to operate at best.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following patents example typical prior art dispensing devices which have in the past been employed for dispensing a topmost sheet from a stack;
Great Britain 888,022 West Germany 1,251,772 West Germany 1,185,063 IBM Techn. Bull., Vol. 6, No. 1, June '63, p. 14 HILLIS 3,517,855 PANKOW 3,323,790 CRANSKENS 3,275,192 HARTER 3,269,590 LAREAU 3,260,402 HOUVER 3,195,886 GEISLER 2,827,288 HAZARD 1,014,147
Unlike all of these prior art devices, the single article machine according to the instant invention will dispense a single article only in either direction of reciprocation of the stripper assembly.
Great Britian No. 888,002 is a reciprocating feeder for delivering sheets of copying paper wherein movement of a cover engages and pushes a top sheet through an opening in the chamber. This reference employs a roller projection 32 to selectively engage and push a sheet of paper rightwardly, as shown in FIG. 1, upon reciprocation of handle 18.
The German references show sheet dispensers wherein a horizontal reciprocation will feed a top sheet of paper in a single direction. The IBM Technical Bulletin illustrates another conventional mechanism for feeding punch cards through a gripper connected to a periodically reciprocated carriage for single direction card feeding.
The patent to Hillis is a spring loaded sheet dispensing device employing a series of gears and levers to reciprocate a pusher pad 96 into frictional engagement with a top sheet of paper. The patent to Pankow is another spring loaded dispenser particularly suited for dispensing two separate copy sheets which are also held in registration. The patent to Cranskens is a substantial duplicate of West German No. 1,185,063 and employs a roller mechanism particularly suited for dispensing of light sensitive sheets. Typically, the sheet dispenser of Cranskens provides single direction dispensing with a spring loaded return of the reciprocating cover 17.
The patent to Harter is a single sheet dispensing apparatus employing a series of interconnected rollers operated by rotation of a crankshaft 49 for frictionally sliding a top sheet from a stack. The dispenser of Lareau includes a roller mechanism which limits feeding to one direction upon movement of drawer 8. Laueau further requires a friction material at FIG. 1. There is no provision in Houver, nor in the other references noted herein, for delivery of the dispensed sheets through the top of the distributor box. The unilateral movement mechanism as taught herein rely upon the provision of a separate opening for exit of the engaged top sheet of a stack, and do not teach the provision of a reciprocal side mechanisms wherein a roller and wedge assembly both separates and guides the dispensing of a folded sheet.
Finally, the patents to Geisler and Hazard illustrate conventional feeding devices having rollers and plungers employed to selectively hold sheets for individual feeding.
None of these above-noted references teach a combination which even categorically approaches the advantages attendant to the machine according to the instant disclosure. In order to more fully appreciate the invention which is described and illustrated hereinafter, reference is now made to the disclosed and illustrated preferred embodiment of this invention.